But the Italian would have to survive on a diet of ‘bread and water’ to do so, as well as taking a significant pay cut.

Ferrero says the 24-year-old has been given too much too young and has lost his love for football at Anfield and needs to re-discover himself according to Daily Express.

“I’d sign him,’ Ferrero said. “If he came to Sampdoria, he would come back to his usual standards. Here nobody would bother him if he missed a goal, he would be quiet and happy.

“In my opinion he’s not hungry anymore, he earns €4 million-a-year. We should put him on bread and water, give him a Bianchina [a very small car from the 1960s] rather than a Ferrari… then I’m sure he would score again.”

This comes as the Daily Mail claim the club have been trying to sell Balotelli since January but have so far found few suitors for his signature after a £16 million move in the summer.

The Mail believes a loan move for Balotelli would be a more likely outcome this summer with the club receiving a number of offers.

This comes after worrying reports at the weekend said the club would have to pay the striker off if he were to leave the club before his contract is set to end.

The Daily Star claimed Balotelli would require a £10 million pay-off to quit Merseyside early.

With all the reports surrounding Balo, it’s unclear which to trust. There’s no denying he’s had a hard time adapting to life at Liverpool with just one Premier League goal to his name so far this season.

Whether this has been down to him or the club is clearly contentious as is whether he should be flogged in the summer to the highest bidder or allowed to remain to try and develop.

What’s not encouraging is the Star’s report which seems to suggest the player and his camp almost holding the club to ransom and is hopefully far from the truth.

Whatever his future holds, let’s hope at least over the remaining games this season in both the Premier League and FA Cup, Balotelli can at least do his best to contribute.